A HALESOWEN teenager has been named in the Great Britain athletics team for next month’s Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Athlete Madeline Down, aged 16, will be making her Paralympic debut and will be competing in the T38 100 metres and Long Jump competitions.

In the space of just two years, Maddie has gone from making her Great Britain international debut to winning double gold for England at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Trinidad, less than six months after suffering a stress fracture in her lower back.

This year, she has won indoor and outdoor long jump gold in the English Championships, ran a sub-13 second 100 metres for the first time and competed in front of a sell-out crowd at the Diamond League meeting at the London Stadium.

Matt Allen, chair of Halesowen Athletics Club said: “We are all delighted that Maddie has earned her well-deserved place in the ParalympicsGB team.

“It is testament to her hard work and dedication to the sport and everyone at the club looks forward to cheering her on in what we all believe will be the first of many Paralympic appearances in the years to come.”

The athletics events at the 2024 Paralympic Games will take place from August 30th to September 8th at the Stade de France in Paris and will be broadcast live on TV.